The 3 Basic Learning Styles

Thursday - February 12, 2015

Everybody learns a little bit differently, but there are three basic styles of learning that are common in children and adults.

Teaching and learning are complicated acts, mostly because each individual learns in a different way, and teaching a large group of individuals at once makes it nearly impossible to appeal to each individual style. At Columbia Academy, our small class sizes allow us to improve our individual approach and teach the greatest number of children in the styles that suit them best.

There are three main styles of learning, though most individuals prefer learning in a unique combination of the three:

Visual Learning

Visual learning means that the child prefers to see the information in front of them during the learning process. Usually, this means incorporating objects like graphs, pictures, and diagrams, but it also includes body language and other visual cues. Visual learners have an easier time memorizing things, and can remember things easier when they’re written down.

Auditory Learning

Auditory learners have an easier time retaining information when it is conveyed through speech. They don’t necessarily need to see the speaker in order to hear and retain the information, and they have an easier time remembering facts and information if they repeat it out loud or talk about it in a dialogue. These learners often perform better with soft music in the background during the learning process.

Kinesthetic Learning

Kinesthetic learners prefer to learn things with a hands-on approach. Rather than using visual or auditory aids, they have an easier time learning new things when they go through the steps, rather than just experiencing them secondhand. They tend to prefer group work and exercises as learning mediums, and often excel in math and science.

The only way to tell which learning methods work best with a developing child is to try them all out. Try teaching your child a few new concepts in each of the three major styles. You should be able to notice relatively quickly which one(s) they favor.